Ky’s latest build guide introduces a powerful and surprisingly smooth Lich playstyle centered around Dark Effigy, Essence Drain, and Contagion. It’s a tanky setup with strong single-target damage, fast clear speed, and excellent energy shield scaling. Out of respect for Ky’s detailed video and with a genuine effort to learn from it, we’ve taken the time to study the content and break it down into a clear, concise summary. This guide highlights the core mechanics, gear, gem setup, and passive tree—so you can understand and replicate the build even if you don’t have time to watch the full video.
Gear Overview
Wand:
Look for a wand with:
• +1 to level of all Chaos Spell Skills
• +1 to all Spell Skills
• Cast speed
• Increased Chaos or Spell Damage
Rift Call Siphoning Wand
wand
quality:+20%
requires: level 78,178 int
grants skill: level 18 power siphon
32% increased spell damage
+31 to maximum mana
Gain 17% of damage as extra lightning damage
85% increased chaos damage
+5 to level of all chaos spell skills
20% increased cast speed
Gain 19 life per enemy killed
Helmet:
Atziri’s Disfavour – Best-in-slot for Lich builds.
Atziri’s Disdain Gold Circlet
helmet
quality:+20%
energy shield:70
requires: level40,74 int
+28% to fire resistance
+69 to maximum mana
18% increased rarity of items found
10% of damage taken bypasses energy shield
Gain 15% of maximum Life as extra maximum energy shield
corrupted
they screamed her name in adulation as they gave
their very lives. she looked on with impatience
Focus/Shield:
• +2 to Spell Skills
• Cast speed or Spell/Chaos damage
• Energy Shield and Resistances (optional)
Storm Charm Sacred Focus
focus
quality:+20%
energy shield:194
requires level 75,139 int
25% increased armour evasion and enery shield
132% increased energy shield
73% increased spell damage
+32to maximum mana
+2 to level of all spell kills
22% increased cast speed
26% to cold resistance
Amulet:
• +3 to all Spells
• At least 24 Spirit (for Clarity)
• ES, Mana regen, and Resistances
Foe choker gold amulet
amulet
quality(defence modifiers):+20%
requires:level 60
allocates reverberation
18% increased rarity of items found
+3 to level of all spell skills
+92 to maximum enercy shield
33% increased maximum enercy shield
+48 to spirit
+15 to dexterity
31% increased mana regeneration rate
Chest:
• High Energy Shield base (Flowing Raiment preferred)
• Look for ES recharge or mana regen mods
Apocalypse skin flowing raiment
body armour
quality:+20%
energy shield:946
requires: level70,157int
75% increased armour, evasion and energy shield
40% increased mana regeneration rate
99% increased energy shield
+98 to maximum energy shield
40% increased energy shield
+30% to lightning resistance
1.3 life regeneration per second
+108 to stun threshold
Corrupted
Rings:
• Cast speed
• Life, Resistances, Mana regen (Stat priority)
Rift gyre pearl ring
ring
quality(caster modifiers):+20%
requires: level 40
12% increased cast speed
25% increased cast speed
Adds 8 to10 fire damage to attacks
adds 13 to 19 cold damage to attacks
+96 to maximum Life
+28% to cold resistance
+13% to lightning resistance
Pain circle pearl ring
ring
quality(caster modifiers):+20%
requires: level 54
8% increased cast speed
Adds 3 to 5 physical damage to attacks
Adds 8 to 18 fire damage to attacks
+95 to maximum mana
24% increased cast speed
+15% to all elemental resistances
+25% to lightning resistance
Gloves/Belt/Boots:
• Life, Energy Shield, Resistances
• Boots: Prioritize high movement speed
Corpse grasp gold gloves
gloves
quality:+20%
energyshield:113
requires: level 59.95 int
+14% to cold resistance
+55 to maximum energy shield
+121 to maximum Life
+74 to maximum mana
+27 to dexterity
+23 to intelligence
+15% to chaos resistance
Behemoth tether Utility belt
belt
charm slots: 1
requires: level 65
20% off lask recovery applied instantly
+105 to armour
+97 to maximum Life
+92 to maximum mana
+43% to fire resistance
+32% to lightning resistance
+23% to chaos resistance
Hypnotic March Bound sandals
boots
quality:+17%
energy shield:156
requires level 65,111 int
+5% to all elemental resistances
35% increased movement speed
111% increased energy shield
+38% to fire resistance
36% to cold resistance
+54 to stun threshold
55% reduced chill duration on you
Weapon Swap:
• Chiming staff with +Spell Levels for Sigil of Power support
Loath Call Chiming staff
staff
requires: level 78,178 int
grants skill: level 18 sigil of power
gain 15% of damage as extra lightning damage
70% increased spell damage
+135 to maximum mana
+5 to level of all spell skills
+31 to intelligence
53% increased freeze buildup
Charm:
• Nascent Hope – great synergy with Withered effects
Nascent hope thawing charm
charm
quality:+15%
lasts 3.50 seconds
consumes 80 of 80charges on use
currently has 80 charges
grants immunity to freeze
requires: level 12
used when you become frozen
22% chance to gain a charge when you kill an enemy
energy shield recharge starts on use
“even in the face of the winter of the world.
Life found a way. The spirit always provides
Used automatically when condition is met. Can only
Hold charges while in belt. refill at wells or
by killing monsters.
💎 Jewels
Main priority: 40% or more Increased Effect of Withered across all PoE 2 jewels.
• Withered increases Chaos damage taken by 5% per stack, so effect scaling is huge.
• Important: POE rounds down, so hit exact thresholds (20%, 40%, etc.)
Other useful jewel stats:
• Maximum Energy Shield
• Spell or Chaos Damage
• Mana regen
• Faster ES recharge
• Cast speed
• Recover mana on kill.
• Increased skill effect duration
Avoid: Volatility on kill (can be troll)
Vivid lens sapphire
jewel
13% increased maximum energy shield
14% increased mana regeneration rate
Gain additional stun threshold equal to 9% of maximum energy shield
10% increased effect of withered
Place into an allocated jewel socket on the passive skill tree
right click to remove from the socket.
🔮 Gem Setup (Priority Order)
Dark Effigy (Totem):
• Overabundance
• Controlled Destruction
• Arcane Tempo
• Venom
• Ancestral Urgency
• (Swap in: Ironwood or Concentrated Effect for bosses)
Essence Drain:
• Swift Affliction
• Considered Casting
• Chaos Mastery
• Derange (or Zenith for manual casting)
Contagion:
• Unleash
• Magnified Effect
• Intense Agony
• Chaotic Freeze (or Hinder)
Despair:
• Decaying Hex
• Cursed Ground
• Heightened Curse
• (Optional: Inspiration, Focused Curse)
Utility & Buffs:
• Withering Presence + Persistence
• Clarity, Convalescence (optional)
• Blasphemy + Temporal Chains, Ritualistic Curse, Encumbrance
• Blink + Second Wind
• Bonestorm + Life Tap, Exploit Weakness, Perpetual Charge.
Weapon Set Assignments:
• Set 1: Core damage skills (Dark Effigy, ED, Contagion, etc.)
• Set 2: Mobility + support skills (Blink, Bonestorm, Despair)
🌳 Passive Tree & Playstyle
Ascendancy Path:
Soulless Form → Eternal Life → Eldritch Empowerment → Vivid Lens Sapphire
Key Nodes:
• Chaos Damage, Cast Speed, Totem Scaling, Energy Shield
• Area of Effect for better Contagion spread: Explosive Impact, Fire Damage And Area
• Weapon set-specific nodes: Essence Infusion, Wither Away, Master of Hexes, Lingering Whispers
Customizable Tree Tips:
• If you struggle with the recharge rate, add Quick Response.
• Adjust the Stun threshold with Eldritch Will if needed.
🌀 How to Play the Build
Single Target Rotation:
1. Start with Sigil of Power
2. Cast Despair, place 2 Dark Effigy totems
3. Apply Contagion, then Essence Drain.
4. Keep refreshing debuffs and totems before they expire.
Mapping / AoE Clearing:
• Place Effigy totems + Contagion while walking
• Optionally use ED for edge cases (mobs behind obstacles)
🧪 Bonus: How to Craft a Chaos Wand Cheap
1. Filter for specific wand bases: Attuned Wand, Siphoning Wand, Wizard Wand.
2. Use Essence of Ruin + Chaos Spells or Chaos Damage.
3. Aim for item level 81+ (needed for +5 spells)
4. Once you hit a good roll:
• Use Orb of Augmentation
• Slam with Exalted Orbs (look for cast speed, spell/chaos damage)
5. Only use Greater Essence of Ruin if the base Chaos Damage roll is top-tier
This build shines in high-tier maps with exceptional survivability and consistent DPS. Thanks to Ky’s detailed guide, it’s easier than ever to pick up and play one of the strongest Chaos-based Lich builds in POE 2.
Happy melting, exile!
